1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to a sheet pile driver and more particularly a driver which is supported from a single wall of already driven sheet piles for stabbing and driving subsequent sheet piles progressively into final position and then moving progressively onto the newly driven sheet piles with the driver being supported solely from the single wall of sheet piles and movable in either direction thereon. This invention also relates to a method of constructing a continuous steel sheet pile wall by the use of sheet piles with a driver riding on partially installed sheet piles and capable of moving back and forth the entire length of the partially installed wall and being a self-stabbing unit, grade driving unit or extractor to enable the construction of a sheet pile wall with reduction in equipment required and an increase in production rates.
2. Information Disclosure Statement
Sheet piles are driven into the ground surface to form a continuous wall, bulkhead or the like. Usually, a ground supported crane lifts the sheet piles and places them in position and starts the sheet piles, generally referred to as stabbing, with the edges of the sheet piles interlocked. Thereafter, the crane is used to progressively drive the sheet piles in stages with the penetration varying with the nature of the soil conditions. Driving the sheet piles in successive steps or stages requires repeated movement of the pile driver along the length of the wall. Such operations usually require two cranes with one crane stabbing the sheet piles and the second crane driving the sheet piles. A single crane may be used but this increases the travel time of the crane, thereby reducing production rates and considerable equipment is required in constructing a wall of sheet piles by using a mobile ground supported crane or cranes.